All the World's a Stage, Shall He Play His Role?
by BlueJayJazz
Summary: A bar, a date rape drug, realized emotions, and heartbreak, what a fanciful tale. Rory takes the Doctor to a bar after their excursion in Venice where he narrowly saves a drunk Doctor from being taken advantaged of. Some slashy themes and slight angst.


**All the World's a Stage; Shall He Play His Role?**

By BlueJayJazz

Over nine hundred years old.

Rory gazed contemplatively at the youthful man twirling about the Tardis's colorful control panel, studying the way he moved and smiled and spoke.  
>He was just so… <em>young<em>. How could this chipper man be so old? Rory, in truth, was still just coming to terms with the fact the Doctor was really truly an alien. The way he acted sometimes was just too human to allow such a notion.

But now… now Rory could accept the reality that the Doctor wasn't from this earth. Not after all this, all this business with Venice and ridiculous toothy fish girls.  
>He couldn't help chuckle quietly at that. Vampires that weren't even vampires, but <em>fish<em>. _Alien fish_.

"Oh Rory!" The Dcotor's quaint gentlemanly voice called over, "Are you just going to sit around all day?"

"Not much else to do, what with you going on about gooey cakes and mountains that burp." Rory pointed out dryly, actually, he was quite content with just sitting and watching the Doctor.

True, that may sound creepy, but it really felt quite natural. Perhaps because the Doctor was just so _fascinating_, like he _should _be studied, like it was a necessity. You could fill a whole paperback just with the funny and cute little mannerisms the Doctor had.

"Well how about we go for a little trip down to this precious little planet in the southern sector of the Celestial Craters next to Aloisis and-"

"Actually," Amy cut in from where she lounged by the stairs, "how about we stop off at earth for a bit before we continue with this whole Amy-Rory bonding thing? Rory's only been here awhile, but quite frankly, after all that shizbang with creepy fish, living stone angels, daleks, the London Blitz, starwhales and such… I could do with a break."

"Of course." The Doctor sounded a bit disappointed, Rory knew the TimeLord would prefer running from green tactical alien things bent on stealing his soul to rest and recreation any day.

Soon enough the Tardis emitted it's soft breathy wheezing sound of landing, and the box stood still.

Amy and Rory joked and laughed as they walked to Amy's house, feeling more normal than he had in days. Rory took time now to appreciate the little things that he'd taken for granted before Venice, like cars and technology, like the sound of many people all crowded in public at once. The little earthy modern day things.  
>But Rory felt slightly guilty at neglecting the man who'd shown them the wonders of the universe, who'd broadened their lives, but at the moment, Rory just wanted to feel human.<p>

The couple sat in Amy's kitchen, sharing a bottle of champagne as the Doctor mused about her living room, fascinated by her fish tank full of guppies. Such a Doctor-like thing, such a child-like thing.  
>Rory was beginning to lose the difference between the two. Doctor was beginning to equal child in his mind, though he knew he shouldn't be thinking that way. The Doctor was wiser then either of them, had lived far longer, seen so much more.<p>

But still, as Rory glanced back at the Doctor tapping gleefully at the fish, he couldn't see how it was possible.

Maybe the TimeLord was just a very good actor?

"You should take him out." Amy nudged Rory, sipping from her wine glass. "Take him to the pub or something. Something manly like that."

"Why?" Rory frowned, shooting the Doctor another glance.

"Well, we've been ignoring him all evening for one. And two, he's showing us the universe. Can't hurt to show him a bit _our _life. A bit of earth. I doubt he's ever been to a human pub." Amy pointed out.

"He's like, nine hundred. I'm sure he's visited a bar or two in his time." Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Still, just take him out for a bit. Sure he's been around, and he's observed earth for a long time, but from what I gather, he never lives it." Amy's life lowered a bit quieter, as if sharing a secret. "He's always acting the outsider, the alien. He never really interacts or lives much human things. Why don't you go show him a bit of the human life?"

Rory paused. "Alright. Fine. But you owe me. I cant imagine taking _the Doctor _to a bar will be much fun. I can just imagine him now…" Rory cringed.

"It'll be fun- I promise!" Amy grinned. "Now, go tell him!"

* * *

><p>"Why are we doing this again?" The Doctor frowned, fiddling with his bowtie nervously as they walked down the near empty street.<p>

"Because Amy told us to." Rory grumped, scowling. The air was chilly and he was really in the mood to take a hyper alien to a pub.

The Doctor fell silent again, and chewed his thin shapely lip in thought. Rory sighed as they reached their destination, opening the door for the alien. The smell of alcohol met them as they entered the dimly lit, humid aired tavern.  
>The Doctor wrinkled his nose in distaste, but didn't say anything. Even the Doctor knew when to shut up in the face of alcoholics just off work.<p>

"I'll have a beer please." Rory nodded to the pretty bartender. "What'll you have Doctor?"

"Oooh a _Doctor_." The lady purred, crossing her arms so her poorly covered bust pushed out. Great, the slut was hitting on the Doctor.

"Err, I'm not much of a Doctor really. They just call me that." The Doctor denied nervously. "A- And I'll have… orange juice?"

"Oh I think the big boy can handle something a little stronger, dontcha' think?" She leaned closer, cracking her gum while she licked her lips in an obscene fashion.

"Um, he'll have a beer as well." Rory interrupted before things got messy.

The Doctor nodded hurriedly, looking relieved at being rescued. Rory led the him to an empty seat, planting himself down beside the tense alien.

"Calm down. She was just flirting, not threatening you with a gun." Rory joked, nudging the jumpy man.

"I'd prefer the gun…" The Doctor grumbled quietly under his breath.

"Oh lighten up." Rory sighed, as the put out bartender slid their drinks towards them.

"Here." Rory handed the lady a five pound bill, and she quickly tossed back his change.

"Do people usually pay right at the get go?" The Doctor asked, curious, as he glanced warily down at his drink.

"I like to be polite." Rory shrugged, taking a hefty drink from his glass.

The Doctor took an experimental sip, and promptly spat the beer back, a look of disgust upon his delicate features. "Ugh…"

"Oh for Christ- You're nine hundred years old! Surely you can handle beer?" Rory gaped exasperated.

"It's gross." The Doctor replied plaintively, pouting.

"Keep at it. You'll get used to it. You aren't wasting my money." Rory snapped, bouncing his head off the table in despair. This night wasn't being as fun as Amy promised.  
>But the Doctor bravely took another drink, and Rory felt a grudging respect for him as he painfully swallowed the beverage and took another forced sip.<br>One thing was for sure, the Doctor didn't like making his friends upset.

Rory was amazed to see the alien's glass empty within minute, and was quite entertained to see the Doctor wobble slightly in his seat, eyes glazed and pinkish.  
>"Slow down Doctor, you'll make yourself sick." Rory smirked as he paid for the Doctor's second drink.<p>

"Like you said… I've been alive almost a millennium…" the Doctor muttered, drinking deeply from his fresh glass.

"And it also appears you're _horrible _at holding your alcohol." Rory chuckled as the Doctor hiccupped.

"Am not." The Doctor muttered, but took a smaller, more hesitant drink next.

"Why hello there…" A voice made Rory jump in surprise. "Can I sit?"

"Err, well, I uh-" Rory stumbled over his words as the man sat himself down beside the Doctor.

He was a handsome fellow, sharp rugged features, blond shoulder length hair and pale blue eyes. He seemed to be the man that would make women's hearts throb and men burn with envy.

"I'm Keith, and _who_ are _you_." The blonde man leered at the Doctor, running his thumb over the alien's jaw.

The Doctor flinched away in surprise, and Rory was amused to retract his previous statement. Seems Keith made both woman _and_ men's hearts throb.

"Uh… I'm… I'm the Doctor…" The Doctor said, voice slightly slurred.

"The Doctor huh?" Keith clucked his tongue, eyes flashing with mischief. "You be the Doctor, I be the nurse, and we can give each other examinations." Keith's words were full of joking playfulness, but there was an underlying tone of seriousness that Rory wasn't liking much.

Keith quickly bought the Doctor another drink as his ran empty; eyes alight with something Rory was beginning to be wary of.

"A- Actually, I already haaave a nurse." The Doctor took a gulp from the beer. "Rorry here…"

He knew it was the alcohol speaking, but the way the Doctor referred to Rory as _his_, made Rory's heart flutter in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Is that so?" Keith shot Rory a glance, before returning his gaze to the intoxicated Doctor.

"Mhm…" The Doctor's eyes slipped closed a moment, before he began to tip from side to side.

"Woah there handsome." Keith shrugged the Doctor off him as he fell over, Rory didn't miss the way the blonde's hands lingered on the Doctor as he repositioned the drunk alien.

"I think you should go." Rory stated, feeling something in his stomach boil.

"Hey buddy, I'm just here for a friendly chat." Keith smiled alluringly, but Rory wasn't falling for his charming smile. He was too focused on the hands that Keith had yet to remove from the Doctor's body.

"You're being a bit _too _friendly-" Rory growled.

"I don't mind…" The Doctor slurred, smiling drunkenly as he took yet another shaky, uncoordinated drink from his glass.

"That's because you're piss drunk." Rory snapped.

"He says he doesn't mind. Thus he doesn't mind." Keith purred, "So Doctor, how about to come over to my place? We could have plenty of 'medical' fun."

"Oh no you don't-" Rory stood up so fast his slightly alcohol fuzzed brain spun.  
>He grasped Keith's perfectly pressed shirt and hauled him up, dragging him away from a completely adorably confused, drunk alien.<p>

"Hey! Keep your hands off me-"

"_Keep you're hands of MY Doctor_." Rory snapped back. "Now get."

Keith shot a disdainful glance back. "Your only jealous because you know you can never have him, while _I _can."

Rory blushed at that, but still scowled as Keith sauntered away. But now his gaze was being dragged to something glittering on the floor, a shiny piece of tinfoil…  
>It was a package, an empty pill package. A word was printed on the side, above a bunch of numbers and letters.<p>

The word made Rory's heart stop a second: Rohypnol.  
>The king of date rape drugs. That slimy bastard had spiked the Doctor's drink!<p>

Rory glanced back at the TimeLord's almost empty glass, noticing the slight misty tinge to the dark liquid, finalizing his suspicion.  
>Rory longed to run after Keith and pop him one in the kisser, a nice hard punch to knock the sluts lights out, but alas he knew Keith had already gone.<p>

Rory went back to the Doctor, who was now leaning heavily against the table, eyes droopy, and an expression of discomfort on his face.

"C'mon Doctor, let's go home." Rory whispered, gently hooking his arms under the Doctor's, pulling him to his feet.

"Rory… My head hurts…" He slurred, eyes glazed. "…Psychic awareness… too sharp…"

Rory frowned, that's odd. Date Rape drugs made the mind hazy, it was peculiar that it would heighten the Doctor's psychic abilities.

"Don't worry, I'll get you home and you can get some rest." Rory said, almost cooing.

The Doctor nodded limply, stumbling through the bar, hanging off Rory like he was a lifeline.  
>"Cant… think right…" He hiccupped.<p>

"Keith spiked your drink." Rory said quietly, though he doubted the Doctor was aware enough to register what that meant.

Rory pulled his cell phone up and dialed Amy's number, fingers numb and shaky both from intoxication and shock from what happened.

"_Hello_?"

"Amy… we're getting a cab and coming home." Rory muttered.

"_See? Fun! You got drunk! That's fun, right_?"

"Some slime ball slipped a date rape drug in the Doctor's drink. He was going to take advantage of him."

There was a silence on the other line.

"…_is he alright_?"

"Yeah, he's just a little out of it. The effects haven't worn off yet." Rory sighed.

"_I want talking about the Doctor. What did you do to the guy who drugged him?"_

Rory chuckled quietly. "He snuck off before I realized what he had done. Other wise he might be in a bit more trouble."

"_Haha, yeah. Get home soon. Keep an eye on our precious bundle of drunk._"

"I will." Rory smiled, hanging up. The Doctor was almost asleep, curled up at Rory's feet.

"Doctor, stay awake." Rory whispered. "C'mon, stay awake."

The Doctor groggily moaned, feebly swatting Rory away.

Rory felt his nerves snapping at the thought of what might have happened if Keith had actually gotten the Doctor to go with him. As weak as the TimeLord was right now, Keith would surely have gotten away with pretty much anything.  
>It made Rory's stomach hurt to think of what Keith had in mind for the Doctor… to think of the brave selfless alien getting used in such a way…<p>

"Rory…" The Doctor muttered, voice heavy with the drugs and beer. "Rorrry… my nurse…. It hurts…"

Rory blushed, but wrapped his arms around the shivering man and embraced him loosely.

"…my head… too full… too…" The Doctor yawned, eyes wet with exhaustion.

Rory caught sight of a Hackney rolling down the street and quickly hailed it down.

"Where to?" The driver asked kindly, glancing at Rory's companion. "He alright?"

"A bit too much to drink." Rory grimaced. "And Leadworth please, I hope it's not too far away for the time it is?" Rory glanced at the darkness outside.

"Not at all." The driver replied. "It might be a bit costly though."

"That's fine." Rory buckling himself and the Doctor in.

They soon driving swiftly out of Gloucester, on their way home.

* * *

><p>"How is he?"<p>

"Completely out of it." Rory replied, helping Amy pull the Doctor across the lawn.

"Ammmmyyyy…" The Doctor sang, eyes slipping closed again.

Soon, he was snoring instead of singing.  
>When they got inside, Rory helped Amy carry an unconscious Doctor to her old room, quickly removing his jacket, bowtie and braces.<p>

"Get your pajamas from the spare room." Amy ordered, and Rory quickly darted across the hall where he kept his clothes for when he stayed overnight.

He blushed as he entered the room, as Amy began unbuttoning the Doctor's shirt and slipping it off.

"You might want to look away." Amy snickered as she began pulling down the Doctor's fly, and Rory's blush increased and he quickly turned around.

Soon enough Amy said he could turn back, just as she began pulling the pajama top over the Doctor's shoulders.

"There." She grinned, and Rory helped her slide the Doctor into the bed, adjusting his head against the pillow so he was comfortable.

Rory tucked the blanket up to his chin and quickly and inconspicuously ran his fingers through the Doctor's silky hair.  
>Amy shot him an unidentifiable glance, though he saw her lips quirk up in a small smile. They slowly left, shutting the door behind them.<p>

They still had a whole bottle of wine to finish.

* * *

><p>Rory sat quietly at the kitchen table, steaming cup of coffee in hand, drumming his fingers on the countertop. He still felt drowsy; he'd hardly a wink of sleep all night. His synapses had just kept firing, nerves crackling, thinking of the Doctor and Keith and the narrowly avoided tragedy…<p>

"Rory?"

He glanced up in surprised as a disheveled Doctor stumbled into the kitchen, Rory's pajama's hanging off of his skinny form.

"You're awake! How do you feel? Do you remember anything?" Rory jumped up, nearly knocking his coffee off the table in his haste.

"Ugh… I feel worse then the time the Queen Pixalamus poisoned me with rotten fish." He groaned, walking over on unsteady feet. "I was drugged, right? I remember... a TimeLord's mind is far stronger then that of a human." He winced.

"You alright?" Rory asked, feeling slightly protective. It was his fault the Doctor was drugged; he had let his guard down. He should have been more careful, especially with the fact everyone seemed to be ensnared by the Doctor's attraction.

"I'll be alright. Just… when I was still drugged my mind was too empty. As a TimeLord, it's our nature to have rather cluttered minds. When it became empty, my psychic abilities took over to try and fill my head." The Doctor explained. "…I saw some things in Keith's mind I really wish I hadn't seen."

"Ouch… I cant imagine them being very… pleasant." Rory bit his lip. "Could be worse though… at least we got away from him when we did."

"Yeah… thanks for that. If it weren't for you, I'd probably handcuffed to his bed right now." The Doctor smiled sadly, and Rory allowed himself a brief smile as well. After all, things had turned out all right. The Doctor was safe and Keith was long gone.

And Rory had discovered something about himself he hadn't realized before… he was falling for the Doctor.

It was subtle, but it was very much so there. He'd first become aware of it when he saw Keith touching the TimeLord, that rage of protectiveness and jealousy burning inside him. He wanted to shrug these emotions and feeing off, to ignore it and shut it away.

But it was growing stronger, each time he looked at the Doctor he felt his gut clench and a warmth flow from his heart to his… nether regions.

He was embarrassed to say, the Doctor really truly was turning him on right now. Sitting there in those clothes far too big for him, with his messy hair and blurry eyes and slightly blushed cheeks…

No. Stop. Bad.

He was engaged for Christ sakes! How could he be thinking about another man, his fiancé's best friend, like this? The only reason he was here right now was because Amy kissed the Doctor, anyway!  
>Rory sighed, helping the Doctor get a glass of water. It was hopeless unrequited infatuation. Impossible emotions he could never act upon, and would eventually fade away.<p>

But he still found himself fantasizing what could be, if somehow some way he and the Doctor could actually work, what would happen? Together, traveling the stars, together forever…

Ugh… he was thinking like a schoolgirl.

Suddenly, Rory noticed something. Doctor was blushing.

Oh shit. OhshitohshitohshitohSHIT.

Physic awareness. Heightened.

"The… the after effects are still wearing off… I'm so sorry, I have no control of my abilities…" the Doctor whispered, eyes averted, blush still firmly in place.

"Uh… umm… err, I don't actually think any of this. At all." Rory dumbly blabbered. It was useless of course, but he had to try.

The Doctor bit his lip, glancing at Rory in the most adorable way possible.

Nononononono…

But his body was already acting, and Rory was leaning forward, crashing his cracked lips into the Doctor's.  
>The Doctor squeaked in surprise, startled, and began trying to push him off, but Rory was already doomed, after that one kiss. Might as well keep trying.<p>

The human pushed the alien against the wall, pinning his arms to his side, tilting his head to kiss the Doctor fuller.

"Ror- ry…" the Doctor muttered into the kiss.

Rory suddenly stopped, realizing _finally _just what he was doing. "S- S- Sorry, I-"

But soft lips suddenly cut him off, and the Doctor was kissing him back.  
>With that one action, Rory lost control. His mind went blank and all that was there was the Doctor, and the Doctor's lips, and the Doctor's body, all pressing up against him. Rory pushed him back against the wall once more, more gentle this time, and the alien's cold tongue brushed against his lip causing Rory to kiss harder and deeper.<p>

Mouths open and moving as one against each other, tongues now hesitantly pushing together as Rory felt passion and ecstasy course through his veins, driving him wild.  
>One of Rory's hands clutched the Doctor's hair with fervor, the other on his waist pulling the smaller man closer.<p>

Rory elicited a soft moan from the alien as he ground his hips lustfully, lips moving from his mouth down his jaw to nibble at his neck.  
>The Doctor's heavy breathing and pushing body was all that was in Rory's reality in that moment, was all that existed.<p>

Until the Doctor suddenly stopped, making Rory stall to a halt. "Doctor?" He breathed heavily, heart pounding. Their faces were inches away; body's tangled and touching in all the wrong (but oh so right) places and ways.

"R- Rory we cant…" The Doctor whispered, chest heaving as he gasp for air. "Amy…"

Amy. His fiancé…

Rory pulled away, removing his hands from the Doctor, untangling their legs.

Soon they stood a good few feet away from each other, adjusting their clothes, focusing on leveling their breathing.

"I'm so sorry." The Doctor whispered, eyes sad. "But I… we…"

"It's my fault. I started it." Rory sighed, feeling bittersweet emotions drench him.

"…We cant tell Amy what happened. You'll go and get married and have a wonderful life with her." The Doctor stated, almost an order. But his eyes spoke of wishes and wants that they both desired but could never have. "I've already almost screwed it up for the two of you once, when Amy kissed me. I cant do it again."

Rory nodded, silent. "…shall I make you a coffee?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't like coffee."

"Of course you don't." Rory chuckled, returning to his own cup. "Amy'll be up in a few minutes. Why don't you go get changed out of those pajamas."

And so the Doctor left, and Rory felt his stomach cramp and heart clench at the thought of that beautiful thing that had just happened between them, but would never happen again.  
>Amy walked in, and Rory could bring himself to look at her. Guilt and shame burnt away at him, he'd betrayed her.<p>

_She did it too_. He reminded himself, but somehow it just wasn't the same. The Doctor was her best friend, and Rory'd just made out with him. It was so much different…

"You ok?" Amy asked quietly, Rory nodded quickly.

There was a pause of awkward silence, before Amy whispered again, "I saw, you know."

Rory stiffened, eyes widening. He shot his fiancé a shocked and desperate look.  
>Her face was completely impassive, as she grabbed a cup and filled it with the coffeemakers delights.<p>

"Do you love him?" Amy asked suddenly, sitting down, face still a stonewall.

"I don't know… maybe." Rory admitted quietly.

Amy glanced down. "At the beginning I thought I did too. He was just so beautiful, in every way, you know?"

Rory nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going. Was she going to yell at him, tease him, dump him, or what?"

"…but I realized, now matter what, he would never love me back. I knew, it was better to forget what I felt for him then get my heart broken." She glanced back. "You know it too. He'll just hurt you."

"I know." Rory admitted, eyes down to the floor. "Are you… angry? That I…"

"I kissed him too you know." Amy replied, stating what he'd already acknowledged. "…and besides, you… you made him happy. Both of you were happier then I'd ever seen you two before. I felt maybe like, like this was best, you know? Like the Doctor might actually love you."

"He doesn't."

"He will." Amy looked back at him. "If you two continue this… 'thing', he will."

"I- I cant Amy. Not like this, not now. Our wedding is 'tomorrow' whenever that may be, I can't just… let you go."

"You have to decide, do you love me more than you could ever love him, and would you be happier with what we will have together, or what you two might have together." Amy replied, staring deep into his eyes. "Rory's choice."

Rory wanted to cry. He couldn't do this… he just couldn't. All because of stupid Keith! This was all Keith's fault! For awakening the truth inside him and starting up this whole love triangle thing all over again…

"Don't." A voice suddenly spoke up, and the Doctor strode forth, standing between the two.

"Doctor?"

"It's not my place to come between you two. Ever. Rory, you and Amy _must_ make through this, I feel it has to be so." The Doctor glanced at Rory. "You know we could never be together… it just wouldn't work. I'd hurt you."

"Do you love him?" Amy asked, voice hard. "Don't lie. Just tell me, do you love him."

The Doctor took a deep breath, and said the word that broke Rory's heart. "No."

He knew it was true, but for the Doctor to iterate it, made it burn all the more. He felt like the word 'no' was being cut into his chest, the pain of rejection making his knees go weak.

Amy looked as surprised as Rory, eyes wide. "No?"

The Doctor shook his head, hair falling over his gorgeous eyes, but not before Rory saw the unshed tears.

Rory felt his wounds slowly heal as the Doctor walked away, for even though he knew that he and the Doctor were never destined to be, and he would wed Amy and they'd have the life Rory knew they would have, at least one thing kept his heart intact…

The fact that the Doctor was a _very_ good actor.

* * *

><p>The Doctor gazed quietly out the window, feeling hollow and cold.<br>It was his duty, as the last TimeLord and as the eldest of the group (by way over eight hundred some years) that he burden everything. Always.  
>If it would keep Rory and Amy's relationship intact, he would lie as much as he needed too, bottle up as many emotions as needed. He wouldn't ruin any more lives.<p>

And thus ends the story in which the Doctor and Nurse fall in love, and stay in love, but can never _be _in love.

For they both must act their parts, as all the world and every world and all the universe… is but a stage for them to play their respected roles.  
>Even if that means losing something they never even had.<p>

**Finis **


End file.
